Gradual FPS Drops on Predator Helios Neo 18 AI (5070 Ti, Intel Ultra 9 275HX)

Hi everyone,

I’m experiencing gradual FPS drops while gaming on my Predator Helios Neo 18 AI with an RTX 5070 Ti and Intel Ultra 9 275HX.

I have Intel Turbo Boost disabled to limit heat and fan noise. Temperatures stay around 65–75 °C on PredatorSense Turbo mode, so overheating shouldn’t be the issue.

Example scenario (Battlefield 2042):

First match at max settings, 2K resolution: ~150–160 FPS.
Second match (same map): drops to ~80–90 FPS.
Third round: as low as 60 FPS, noticeably less smooth.

Temps remain ~64 °C during these drops. I tried re-enabling Turbo Boost, but it didn’t make a difference.

Could this be thermal or power throttling even with normal temps? If so, why would it happen under these conditions? Any ideas or troubleshooting tips would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Accepted answers

GAMING6698

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/728137/gradual-fps-drops-on-predator-helios-neo-18-ai-5070-ti-intel-ultra-9-275hx

I Added a fix in below guide step 1, follow it like mentioned:

(In the guide, I mentioned a stable driver for other series, but not your RTX 50, because I forgot about that series, lol. I’ll update it soon. For you (RTX 50 seires), install version 577.00, and first make sure to use DDU like I mentioned before installing.)

Windows 10/11 optimization guide for gaming — Acer Community

All comments

Rebalosho

Edit/Update: I also wanted to mention that I recently used a debloating tool to disable a few background services and set some processes to manual start. This included things like disabling telemetry, turning off some Windows features (like HomeGroup, Start menu suggestions), and removing some pre-installed Microsoft apps.

I’m wondering if this could be related to the FPS drops, since I didn’t notice the issue before I made these changes. Not sure if this issue is general or game-related. Any insights on that would be appreciated!

Axxo

Gradual FPS (Frames Per Second) drops on your Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 while gaming are often a sign of thermal throttling, where your CPU or GPU slows down to prevent overheating. Even if the external temperature feels fine, internal components can be getting too hot, especially during extended gaming sessions.
Here's how to diagnose and address the issue:-

1. Monitor temperatures
Use Monitoring Software: Tools like PredatorSense (built-in), HWMonitor, HWiNFO64 or MSI Afterburner can display your CPU and GPU temperatures in real-time while gaming.
Identify Thresholds: Ideally, your CPU temperature should remain below 85°C and your GPU below 80°C (for NVIDIA) or 85°C (for AMD). Temperatures exceeding these limits indicate potential thermal throttling.
2. Improve cooling
Clean the System: Dust accumulation is a common cause of overheating. Regularly use compressed air to clean your laptop's fans, vents, and heat sinks. You can also consider having a technician clean the system.
Optimize Airflow: Ensure the laptop is placed on a hard, flat surface to prevent blocking the vents. A laptop cooling pad can also significantly improve airflow and reduce temperatures.
Check Fan Speeds: Verify that your GPU fan is spinning correctly using PredatorSense or other monitoring software.
3. Optimize software and drivers
Update Drivers and Software: Outdated GPU drivers and system firmware can cause performance issues. Ensure your GPU drivers are up to date by downloading the latest version from NVIDIA's official website. Also, check for any available BIOS updates for your laptop.
Close Background Applications: Unnecessary applications running in the background consume system resources, potentially impacting gaming performance. Use Task Manager to identify and close resource-intensive applications.
Disable Overlays: Overlays like NVIDIA GeForce Experience, Discord, and Steam can sometimes interfere with game performance. Try disabling them and see if performance improves.
Adjust Power Settings: Set your laptop's power plan to "High Performance" or "Ultimate performance" in Windows power options. Also, ensure your laptop remains plugged in while gaming to prevent battery-based throttling.
Disable Game Mode (If causing issues): While Windows Game Mode aims to optimize gaming performance, it can occasionally cause conflicts. Try disabling it to see if it improves FPS.
-----------------------------------------
If this answers your question and solved your query please "Click on Yes" or "Click on Like" if you find my answer useful.

Rebalosho

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1351669#Comment_1351669

Thanks for taking the time to respond — I really appreciate it.

I should clarify that I’ve already checked and ruled out the common overheating and maintenance issues you mentioned. My Predator Helios Neo 18 is less than a month old, and cooling is excellent — CPU and GPU temperatures stay between 65–75 °C even under load, I use a cooling pad, and PredatorSense shows both fans working properly.

The problem is game-specific. For example, in Battlefield 2042 or The Finals, my FPS starts high but drops gradually after one or two matches, even on the same map. Monitoring shows it’s not the CPU throttling — it’s the GPU clock speed that’s dropping, despite temps being around 70 °C. In other games, I can play for hours without this happening.

All drivers and firmware are fully up to date (NVIDIA via GeForce Experience, Intel drivers via Intel Assistant). Background apps are minimal, overlays disabled, and I’m on high performance mode with the laptop plugged in.

Given that temps are well within safe limits and cooling is fine, I suspect this might be a software or firmware behavior rather than true thermal throttling. Do you know if there’s any Acer-specific power or performance management setting that could cause the GPU clock to step down in certain titles? Or could this be related to how these games interact with Optimus or power profiles?

Any further ideas would be greatly appreciated.

GAMING6698

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/728137/gradual-fps-drops-on-predator-helios-neo-18-ai-5070-ti-intel-ultra-9-275hx

I Added a fix in below guide step 1, follow it like mentioned:

(In the guide, I mentioned a stable driver for other series, but not your RTX 50, because I forgot about that series, lol. I’ll update it soon. For you (RTX 50 seires), install version 577.00, and first make sure to use DDU like I mentioned before installing.)

Windows 10/11 optimization guide for gaming — Acer Community

Rebalosho

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1351738#Comment_1351738

Hello!
Thank you for your recommendations.

I reinstalled driver version 577.0 and the problem was solved.

However, I still need to test it in various scenarios in order to fully conclude that it has been solved.

Thank you again, will keep you noted!

Rebalosho

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1351738#Comment_1351738

@GAMING6698

New drivers 581.08 are out.
Would you recommend against 577.0?

GAMING6698

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1352297#Comment_1352297

No, issue still persist in new 581 driver as well.

Rebalosho

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1352329#Comment_1352329

@GAMING6698

What exactly seems to be the issue and can it be fixed?
When do you think they can resolve it?

The new Nvidia App update looks cool but I don't want it at the expense of my performance like before.

GAMING6698

https://community.acer.com/en/discussion/comment/1352378#Comment_1352378

This issue affects all NVIDIA laptops where FPS drops over time. Yesterday, NVIDIA released a new driver, and at the same time we had a big discussion about it. Many NVIDIA laptop users tested it, but unfortunately the problem is still there—the FPS kept dropping. They ended up rolling back to the previous version again.

Since this issue is widely recognized across all NVIDIA laptops, not just Acer, it will probably be fixed soon, but we don’t know when NVIDIA’s developers will release the fix.

btw, make this discussion as solved by selecting yes on that comment which help.

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